1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of making golf club heads, and more specifically, to a method of making iron type golf club heads using powdered metal rather than conventional metal forgings or castings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf clubs are formed through a variety of methods. Commonly, a golf club head is forged or cast and then machined or ground and polished to the requisite dimensions and desired aesthetic quality. These processes have proven to be time consuming and inefficient.
In addition, golf clubs are typically manufactured to fit an average person of average dimensions. Thus, the same club is manufactured regardless of the particular golfer's needs. This standard approach to golf club manufacturing is utilized due to the expensive and time consuming process associated with altering or manufacturing a new mold to incorporate changes in club design. Therefore, in order to save time and money, manufacturers use the same mold that is not readily adjustable with respect to the particular characteristics of the golf club. However, this presents a problem due to the fact that not all golfers are built the same, and not all golfers have identical swings. In addition, due to manufacturing tolerances, many golf clubs that claim to be a particular lie, loft, or face angle may be off by as much as 1°. Due to the variety of golf swings, golfers, and manufacturing flaws and/or tolerances, each individual golfer may benefit from an optimization of lie angle, loft angle, or other club head design parameter.
The lie angle of any golf club is the angle formed between the center of the shaft and the ground line of the club when the club is soled in its proper playing position (address position). Therefore, a taller golfer is likely to benefit from an increase in lie angle, which would allow for the golfer to comfortably address the ball properly. In a similar fashion, a short golfer would probably benefit from a reduction in lie angle.
Loft angle is a measurement, in degrees, of the angle at which the face of the club lies relative to a perfectly vertical face. Using a club with a high loft angle will typically result in a golf shot with a high initial trajectory. In contrast, utilizing a club with a low loft angle will typically result in a golf shot with a low initial trajectory.
Currently, manufacturers rely on post-manufacturing methods for custom fitting golf clubs, the majority of which involve placing the club in a vice and bending the metal until the desired specifications are met. However, frequent modifications or improper bends may result in fatigue of the metal or weakening of the club head.
Finally, due to manufacturing tolerances, current methods of manufacturing frequently require additional steps to bring the club close to the desired specifications. For example, a club head that is designed to have a loft angle of 9° may be manufactured with a loft angle of 8°. Therefore, the additional step of bending the hosel is necessary to achieve the desired loft angle.
As such, there remains a need in the art for a method of manufacturing golf clubs that allows implementation of design variations while maintaining efficiency and cost effectiveness. In addition, there remains a need for a method of manufacturing golf clubs that allows a designer to create a golf club near specifications thereby reducing the need for finishing or bench work.